AFA.org: The Raptor as Bomber

Posted on: Jan. 3rd, 2005 || Source: afa.org | E-mail Article | Print Article

For more than two years, the Air Force has been contemplating the development and fielding of a regional bomber variant of its soon-to-be-operational F/A-22 stealth fighter. This “FB-22” is now considered a leading contender to fill a 15-year technological gap between today’s fleet of long-range strike aircraft and a still-undefined next generation system, which might incorporate hypersonics or other futuristic technologies.

Since it was unveiled in 2002, the FB-22 concept has evolved to where it would likely have most—though not all—of the Air Force’s desired attributes for a regional bomber and do so at an acceptable cost.

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